COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Oilers kept zipping the puck from high to low and low to high in the Blue Jackets’ end. The energy-sapping exercise lasted for more than 90 seconds, the sell-out crowd groaning at the sheer spectacle of it.

The Blue Jackets lost the puck, lost the board battles and eventually lost the strength to keep pace with the Oilers, who were able to change players while maintaining possession during the marathon second-period shift.

Edmonton superstar Connor McDavid looked like he was forcing five Blue Jackets to do own-zone “Herbies,” skating them to the brink of exhaustion before setting up the goal that defined a 4-0 loss to the Oilers in Nationwide Arena.

The Blue Jackets didn’t manage the puck, failed miserably in transitioning it from their own end and came nowhere near to matching the visitors’ compete level in arguably their worst setback of the season.

When it was over, John Tortorella put no effort in trying to rehash...